The adrenaline rush of Election Day had barely subsided before political junkies started blowing up my phone, all asking the same question.

What's next for Aftab Pureval?

Whoa, let's slow down. Pureval was left limping and bloodied after his 5-point loss to U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot on Tuesday. First, another question needs to be answered before we start talking about Aftab for Mayor or Aftab for Prosecutor or Aftab for Whatever (see below).

What does the Democrat have to do to recover from his mistake-riddled campaign?

Pureval declined Politics Extra's interview request on Thursday.

Here are three ways Pureval could restore his sheen, according to political consultants:

1. Do what P.G. did

Pureval, the Hamilton County clerk, finds himself in a similar situation as fellow Cincinnati progressive P.G. Sittenfeld did a few years ago. Sittenfeld also ambitiously ran for a bigger office before he was ready – and got humbled by a veteran politician.

Sittenfeld has reinvented himself nicely since his ill-advised decision to challenge ex-Gov. Ted Strickland in the 2016 U.S. Senate primary. For a year, the city councilman quietly stuck his nose down and focused on his job. Politically, Sittenfeld spent several months mending fences inside the party.

He hosted a fundraiser for Strickland ahead of the general election, a humble gesture that showed Sittenfeld isn't a sore loser. He met with party and labor leaders who weren't happy about him taking on a veteran, union-friendly politician. Sittenfeld didn't hide from the media. He was positive about Strickland and Democrats on social media.

Sittenfeld refocused his goals on running for Cincinnati mayor. He's being more patient and strategic about his next step. Last year, he focused on getting re-elected to a final Council term. Sittenfeld raised considerably more money than anyone else, bringing in more than a half-million dollars.

2. Be upfront about lingering issue

Allegations that a Pureval campaign volunteer illegally infiltrated some of Chabot's events continue to loom. The Ohio Elections Commission is scheduled to hear a complaint related to the issue on Dec. 20.

Republicans aren't expected to let this go, and they're going to use it against Pureval in future races regardless of the commission's decision. But Pureval has an opportunity to handle this differently than he did his campaign finance issue. He dragged that out for months, developing a reputation as secretive.

If more information surfaces, Pureval could further help himself by releasing it to the public – regardless of the elections commission's process. Voters can't stand a secretive politician, and Pureval needs to distance himself from the problems of the 2018 campaign ASAP.

3. Surround himself with political pros

Big-time candidates hire big-time behind-the-scenes staffers. If Pureval has aspirations of reaching a big office, one consultant said, he needs to start surrounding himself with experienced political advisers.

Pureval could start by bringing in an outside consultant to assess his congressional campaign – someone who will offer an unbiased evaluation of the campaign's strengths and weaknesses. We all generally know Pureval's biggest weakness – hiring his best friend to run his campaign.

Even if Pureval does these things, his path forward still won't be easy. Here's a quick look at some of Pureval's next-step options:

Hamilton County Prosecutor – Pureval vs. Joe Deters in 2020. Epic. Democrats will view grabbing the region's most powerful local political seat as completing their takeover of Hamilton County. Blue county + Donald Trump on the ballot = Pureval upset?

Mayor: It's been rumored, but I don't see Pureval going this route. He and Sittenfeld have many of the same supporters, and the councilman already has those donors locked down for the 2021 race.

Congress: Maybe by 2020, we'll be ready for a Pureval-Chabot 2.0. Maybe. Pureval defeated Chabot by nearly 9 points in the Hamilton County part of Ohio's 1st Congressional District. It'll be a presidential year, so Democratic turnout will be strong. But the odds will always be stacked against a Democrat as long as the district includes all of bright red Warren County.

Clerk of Courts: Running for re-election is looking like Pureval's safest bet at this time.